


Charmed

by rarepairenabler



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Getting Together, M/M, Misunderstandings, Roommates, it's only minor though!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-08
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-09-07 08:41:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8791030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rarepairenabler/pseuds/rarepairenabler
Summary: "I'm just gonna..." God, pull yourself together, Kuroo mentally chides as he gingerly sets the steaming cup down on Ushijima's bedside table. Just as he'd feared, the heart's now turned to a shapeless white blob.
Not that Ushijima would have noticed anyway – he hasn’t glanced up once since Kuroo returned.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ColourlessZero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColourlessZero/gifts).



> wooo boy it's been a whole month since I last posted anything i'm so sorry guys, finals were the worst ;v; but that's over now so expect some more writing from me soon! This is a gift for colourlesszero - i know it doesn't follow the prompt but I hope you like it! also, warning: I know next to nothing about coffee. Sorry guys

“You should just leave it alone,” Kenma advises over the phone.

Kuroo makes a face, his breath coming out in puffs as he shivers and shoves his free hand in his jacket pocket. “You know I can’t do that!” he says, loud enough to draw the curious stares of the other people in the cafe as he takes his place in line. Lowering his voice, Kuroo continues, “He's been really down lately, and it's my _duty_ as his roommate to cheer him up!"

"It's really not," Kenma replies, and Kuroo can almost hear his bemused stare.

Kuroo ignores him, frowning as he reflects on how weird his roommate's been lately. "I can't help it - I'm concerned. He spends most of his time studying these days, and I hardly see him anymore between early classes because he's practically _doubled_ the length of his morning jogs."

Kuroo’s more than a little aware that’s he’s whining at this point.

"Maybe he's just one of those weird health nuts or something," Kenma offers.

"Or he's avoiding me," Kuroo says as he bites the inside of his cheek.

“Or that.” 

Kuroo makes an affronted noise and steps forward when the line starts to shift again. "Oi! You're not supposed to agree." He waits a moment, his stomach twisting in tight knots as he asks, "Wait, you don't think he dislikes me, do you? I mean I'm perfectly charming, aren't I!?" The other people in line eye him dubiously. “ _Kenma?_ "

Kenma sighs, his tone softening as he soothes, “Look, I’m sure it’s not you. It could just be that he's stressed out from school or maybe he just needs space. He seemed pretty...shy when I met him a week ago."

"Shy, huh?" Kuroo repeats. He expels a breath of relief, his lips curving in a confident grin as he strokes his chin. "I can work with that."

"Kuroo, whatever it is you're planning---"

"Relax, it's nothing weird!" Kuroo says, laughing as he waves Kenma off even though the other man can't see him.

"Why don't I believe you?"

Kuroo snickers. "Rude! Ah, okay, it's my turn to order, I’ll call you back later!"

He hangs up, smoothly sliding his phone into his back pocket before fixing the barista with a blinding smile. She blinks in surprise, a slight flush coloring her cheeks as he recites his order. “And maybe…” he trails off, his brows pulling together as his eyes flicker over to the board where the options are written in neat, swirly cursive. Before he can talk himself out of it, he asks, "Hm. What do you have that's sweet?"

The barista returns Kuroo's smile with one of her own as she lists off the options. “…or we have the candycane latte. It’s a seasonal special,” she finishes.

"I'll take the last one then!" Kuroo announces as he digs through pocket for change. "Oh! One more thing. Would you mind...drawing a heart in the cream?"

By the time he gets back to his dorm, the design will probably be ruined, but still. He can't help but imagine Ushijima accepting the coffee gratefully, his lips tilting in one of those small, quietly-content smiles of his - yeah, it's definitely worth it.

"Yeah, sure!" the barista answers, chuckling softly at Kuroo's apologetic expression. Not too long after, she returns to the counter with two lattes in hand.

"Thanks!" Kuroo cringes slightly as he feels the heat of the cups seep through the thick fabric of his mittens. It takes a few awkward moments of fumbling before he's maneuvered the cups so that they're safely tucked in the crook of his elbows.

"Have a great day!" the barista calls from behind him as Kuroo shoulders his way through the door.

Kuroo doesn't exactly run back to the dorm room that he shares with his ridiculously attractive roommate, but he does sprint fast enough that the coffee leaks from lid and splatters across the chest pockets of his winter jacket. By the time he gets back to their dorm, there’s snowflakes matted in his lashes and the brisk wind’s turned his cheeks a blotchy shade of red.

As Kuroo rattles his key in the knob, he raises his voice and asks, "Hey, Ushijima, you still here?" His hand pauses as he leans forward and presses his ear to the door, the corners of his lips twitching in a grin when he hears Ushijima grunt. He twists the knob harder this time, relieved when the door finally eases open with a quiet creak.

He toes out his winter boots, leaving them dripping by the doorway as he grins and declares, "Hey, roomie, I got you---" Kuroo words dissipate like snowflakes on a windowsill as he takes in the sight of Ushijima sprawled out on his own bed, bangs draped messily across his olive-colored eyes as he flips through the pages of an issue of Shonen Jump that Tendou's lent him.

Kuroo slowly tears his eyes from his distracted roommate and clears his throat, hoping the sound’s enough to draw Ushijima’s attention.

"I'm just gonna..." _God, pull yourself together_ , Kuroo mentally chides himself as he gingerly sets the steaming cup down on Ushijima's bedside table before tipping off its lid. Just as Kuroo had feared, the latte’s heart's now turned to a shapeless white blob.

Not that Ushijima would have noticed anyway – he hasn’t glanced up once since Kuroo returned.

"C'mon, coffee break," Kuroo says as he nudges his knee against Ushijima's thigh. When he doesn't get a response, he kneels on the bed down and snatches Ushijima’s magazine from his hands. 

"Wha...?" It’s more than a little gratifying when Ushijima blinks up at Kuroo, pouting slightly as he shifts forward onto his elbows. Ushijima sways forward and then he’s surging after Kuroo, just narrowly missing when Kuroo laughs and hoists the magazine just out of his reach. “I was just getting to the good part.”

“You were reading the _ads!_ ” Kuroo argues as he dangles the magazine between them.

Eyes narrowed in challenge, Ushijima lunges forward and tackles Kuroo against the bed. Kuroo flops against the mattress, the air suddenly knocked from his lungs when Ushijima crouches over him and snatches his magazine back.

Ushijima’s other hand is pinning Kuroo in place as he explains, “The ads are the best part.”

Under normal circumstances, Kuroo would have at least attempted some kind of witty response but he’s more than a little distracted by the way Ushijima’s thick thighs are bracketing hiships and by the solid weight of Ushijima pressing down against him. There’s nothing even remotely safe about this proximity – Kuroo would only have to lean forward an inch or so for their lips to meet.

“I…Okay,” he says eloquently when he realizes Ushijima’s waiting for some kind of answer. Shit, exactly how long have I been staring at Ushijima’s mouth for? Kuroo thinks just as Ushijima slowly starts easing off of him.

“You said something about coffee?”

“Mmm? Oh, right.” Kuroo shakes the indecent thoughts from his head as he grins easily and nods toward the bedside table. “S’over there. Hope you like mint.”

Ushijima brings his lips to the rim of the cup and blows. He waits until the coffee’s stopped rippling to take a measured sip. “It’s alright,” he says frankly. “What do I owe you?”

“For the coffee? Don’t worry about it.” He waves Ushijima off. “It’s my treat.”

Ushijima arches his brow as he waits for an explanation.

Kuroo gasps in mock-indignation. “What? Can’t a guy just do something nice for his—” _stupidly handsome_ —“roommate every once in a while without expecting anything in return?”

Ushijima’s brow arches even higher.

“I don’t need anythin’ in return,” Kuroo reassures him. He grins and tucks Ushijima’s fluffy pillow beneath his head. “Just the pleasure of your company.”

“…If you say so.” Ushijima finishes his coffee and lies beside Kuroo in the same position as before as he busies himself with the manga he’d been reading. Their shoulders brush as Ushijima’s turns his head to the side and points out, “You have your own bed, you know?”

“Do I?” Kuroo yawns. He sighs happily and burrows his head against the pillow as he shifts into a more comfortable position.

“You’re like a cat,” Ushijima observes.

“Mmm.” His lips twitch slightly at the fondness in Ushijima’s voice.

There’s hardly any room on the bed for one fully grown teenager, let alone two. Kuroo closes his eyes and waits for Ushijima to politely ask him to go back to his own side of the room, but somehow, the moment never comes. Eventually, the tension eases from Ushijima’s shoulders as he leans some of his weight against Kuroo’s side. It’s probably an unconscious thing, but it makes Kuroo’s pulse thunder all the same.

He doesn’t mean to fall asleep on Ushijima’s bed, he really doesn’t, but soon enough his breath evens out and he gives in to the weight of exhaustion that’s been bearing down on him all week. When Kuroo wakes a few hours later, he finds Ushijima passed out beside him, the book splayed open on his stomach.

Ushijima’s face looks so soft and relaxed. _He’s smiling,_ Kuroo realizes, chest constricting as he notices the slight curve of his lips. _I should let him sleep. He deserves it._

Kuroo drapes Ushijima’s blanket over him and decides to count it as a win.

~*~

“Hey, have you seen my red dress shirt?” Kuroo asks as he picks up the corner of his blanket and peeks beneath his bed, searching there for the third time in the hopes that it might just suddenly appear if he checks yet again.

It’s the only formal shirt he’s packed with him, and now he can’t find it anywhere - even though he distinctly remembers nudging it under his bed a few weeks ago.

“I ironed it,” Ushijima tells him nonchalantly, “and hung it back up in your closet.”

“You…” Kuroo gapes as he opens his closet and finds it there, just as Ushijima had said. “Why?”

Ushijima looks over his shoulder at Kuroo. “I was under the impression roommates did each other favors every once in a while?”

“Oh.” After years of practically babysitting his underclassmen, the thought of someone else taking care of him leaves Kuroo more than a little overwhelmed. Ears burning, he returns his attention to the dress shirt. This a mistake, he discovers, when a moment later he lifts the shirt to his face and notices that it smells like Ushijima’s detergent. Christ.

“Thank you. You, uh, didn’t have to.” He winces when his voice comes out strained.

“It was no trouble.”

Kuroo frowns again as he fiddles with his checkered bowtie. He curses under his breath and turns to the mirror to glare at his own reflection. Ushijima chuckles quietly behind him.

“Kuroo, did you need—”

“ _Please?_ ” Kuroo interrupts. Aware of how pathetic he sounds, Kuroo laughs nervously and explains, “I’m usually not so bad at tying my own but this one’s being stubborn.”

It’s not until Kuroo turns around to face Ushijima that he realizes how close they’re now standing. Suddenly he’s all too aware of how tall and imposing Ushijima is, his broad shoulders in clear view and oh—you’d think after a couple of months of sharing the same space as him that Kuroo would be desensitized to the sight of him shirtless but _nope_ , no such luck.

With a deftness Kuroo hadn’t expected from him, Ushijima loops, twists, and tugs the fabric until the tie looks less like a misshapen knot and more like a bow. “It’s simple. See?”

Kuroo swipes his tongue across his lips, his mouth as dry as the Sahara as he arches his neck back so that Ushijima can reach.

Ushijima’s own dress shirt’s unbuttoned, and his tie hangs casually around his shoulders like an afterthought. _He looks like the male lead straight off the cover of one of those cheesy erotica novels_ , Kuroo thinks in disbelief.

His roommate’s deep voice disrupts him from his embarrassing thoughts a moment later when Ushijima looks up at him again and says, “There you go.” There’s a hint of pride in Ushijima’s tone that has Kuroo’s stomach fluttering as he turns to inspect himself in the mirror.

Kuroo cocks his head to the side and tugs at the corners of the bow. “Does it look okay?”

“Yes,” Ushijima answers immediately. At Kuroo’s surprised stare, he coughs awkwardly and turns away. “It’s…uh, a nice color on you.”

“Yeah?” Kuroo silently vows to wear the color way more often. He turns around with a smirk, his fingers combing through his unruly hair as he leans close enough that he can actually hear Ushijima’s sharp inhale. “You think so?”

“I do.”

Kuroo bites his own lip at the low, rumbly timbre of Ushijima’s voice. “I could tie yours, if you’d like.” Kuroo would rather be _un_ dressing his roommate, but that’s not exactly on the table. He shifts closer again, his confidence growing when Ushijima’s eyes slowly drop to the bow of Kuroo’s lips.

“Ushijima…?” Kuroo’s fingers curl against the fabric of Ushijima’s collar.

Ushijima exhales Kuroo’s name, soft enough that Kuroo would’ve missed it if there’d been any distance between them, but instead he can feel the warmth of Ushijima’s breath against his own parted lips, Ushijima’s long lashes tickling his skin as they flutter shut.

For a full, exhilarating second, Kuroo thinks Ushijima’s going to kiss him.

Ushijima tips Kuroo’s chin up with his thumb, his own lips parting slowly and then suddenly his eyes are snapping open again and he’s pulling away so abruptly that Kuroo stumbles forward in surprise.

“We should get going,” Ushijima says, visibly uncomfortable. “We don’t want to be late for the athletic banquet.”

“Ushijima—Wakatoshi— _wait._ ”

Ushijima’s out the door before Kuroo can get a word in edgewise. Briefly, Kuroo considers running after him but with Ushijima’s daily jogging routine, there’s no way Kuroo would be able to keep up. Jeez, the banquet’s not even for another hour or so.

Kuroo sighs and collapses backwards onto his bed. “And you forgot to button up your shirt!” he grumbles as he buries his face between his pillows. _Honestly, what the hell just happened?_

~*~

“I’m telling you!” Kuroo says, arms flailing as he balances his phone on his shoulder. “We had this, like, _moment._ We were standing really close and we were about to kiss!—I think—and then he just bolted.”

“Did you brush your teeth? Maybe your breath scared him away.”

“Did I brush my…Oi! This is _serious_!” Kuroo flips over onto his side and scowls at the wall. “Are you even listening?”

He can barely hear Kenma’s noncommittal hum over the sound of the videogame music in the background.

“I just don’t get it! I can’t get any sorta reaction out of him lately. I’ve tried flirting; I’ve even tried puns and still, nothing. I was using my best material and he didn’t so much as crack a smile.”

“To be fair, I’ve heard your pick-up lines before,” Kenma quips. “They’re not that good.”

Kuroo rolls his eyes, scoffing as he leans his head back against his folded hands. “Hey, shouldn’t you be consoling me or something?”

“I’ve been consoling you for an hour or so,” Kenma reasons, which is...fair. Kenma would have probably cut Kuroo off sooner if Kuroo hadn't promised to tell him the secret to defeating the final boss.

At Kuroo’s huff, Kenma clicks his tongue against his cheek and sighs. “Give it some time, Tetsu.”

“You said that already,” mutters Kuroo.

“Still relevant,” Kenma says. “Look, maybe flirting’s not working because he wants to be reassured that you’re interested in him as a _person._ ”

"Oh." Kuroo blinks up at the ceiling. “That makes a lot of sense, actually. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” he replies distractedly.

“It's time. I'm moving forward with _phase three_ —” Kuroo grins crookedly as he slams his fist against his palm. “I’m just gonna go for it. I’m gonna ask Ushijima on a date.”

Kenma makes an unimpressed noise. “That’s at all not what I suggested.”

“No, but if I make it clear that I want to spend time with Ushijima outside of our dorm then he’ll know I’m sincere about my interest, right?” Kuroo doesn’t wait for an answer before continuing. “Besides, at least _I’m_ doing something about my crush! You and Keiji have been putting off the confessions for how long now?”

“Eh? _That’s not_ —”

Kuroo snickers when he hears the ominous “GAME OVER” music drone in the background. "Oho? Am I wrong?"

“What's that? Ugh, I think I hear Tora calling me to practice drills with the first years,” Kenma says with faked urgency. “I’ll call you back later. _Good luck._ ” The line cuts off with an obnoxious BEEP.

Kuroo stares down at the phone with a smirk. “Kids these days,” he croons as he drags his fingers through his hair.

His eye flick over to the clock hanging between his and Ushijima's beds. If he knows his roommate's schedule well enough—and he does—then Ushijima's due back from his jog in about thirty minutes or so, which leaves Kuroo with hardly any time to figure out how he’s going to confess and what to do if the person he's supposed to be living for the rest of the year turns him down.

"Okay, let's see." Kuroo blows on his hands and rubs them together as he sits up straight. He shifts and fetches his phone out of his pocket and dutifully searches, "How to Woo your Intimidating yet Hopelessly Endearing Roommate." 

~*~

"Ah, Kuroo, I wasn't expecting you to still be here," Ushijima says with a slight frown as he closes the door behind him.

Ignoring the pang in his chest, Kuroo smiles thinly and explains, "Class was canceled. Prof came down with the flu."

Ushijima strokes his fingers through his damp bangs, a bead of water stroking down the curve of his neck as he takes a seat on his bed. There's water seeping through the tight-fitting shirt he's wearing, making the grey fabric cling to his toned stomach. _He must have just gotten back from the shower._

"So, _I_ was thinking--" Kuroo drops next to Ushijima, the mattress bouncing beneath him-- "We could maybe go out tonight. Your classes are done, mine were canceled. I finished my law paper a day ago...so whaddaya say?" He looks up at Ushijima hopefully.

"I..." Ushijima's brows pinch together. "We could," he allows.

Kuroo grins at him as he picks at the hem of Ushijima's blanket. "There's a new sci-fi in theaters. If we go early enough i'm sure we could catch _all_ the previews."

Ushijima tilts his head. "Are you mocking me?"

_Crap. Good going, Tetsurou._ Kuroo's smile falters. "No, no not mocking!" He raises his hands in innocence. "It's.... _cute_ ," admits Kuroo, his face burning.

A month ago he would have balked at the idea of calling Ushijima—of all people— _cute_ but that was before he'd seen Ushijima cradle one of the university's therapy puppies in his arms, his smile bright with happiness when the retriever had nuzzled his face against Ushijima's. Someone could probably make a fortune selling a calendar of Ushijima holding baby animals.

"Anyway, next showing's soon, if you wanted to go?"

"I'll go," Ushijima says. Just as Kuroo's about to do a victory dance, Ushijima carefully adds, "Perhaps your partner would want to accompany us?"

At first, he thinks he's heard wrong. Kuroo narrows his eyes at Ushijima, his brows shooting up into his hairline as he sputters, " _Mywhatnow?_ "

Ushijima's forehead creases in confusion. "Your...partner," he says slowly, like Kuroo's bumped his head on something. "The one you always talk to on the phone? You brought him over two weeks ago?"

_Two weeks ago_...Kuroo's mentally does the math. Two weeks ago...two ago he'd invited Kenma over to give him a tour of the campus. Kuroo had tried to introduce them then but they'd hardly exchanged names before Ushijima had scurried from the apartment with a mumbled excuse that he was going jogging again.

_Two weeks ago_...also happens to be around the time that Ushijima started acting weird. Huh.

They both stare at each other in deafening silence until finally Kuroo laughs. "I, I'm sorry," Kuroo pants between fits of braying laughter. He bites his lip as he lifts a hand to rubs at his eyes. "You must mean Kenma! We're not partners - we've been best friends since we kids. It's _strictly_ platonic."

The tentative smile plays across Ushijima's lips. "So you don't have a partner then?" he clarifies.

"Nope," Kuroo says as the knots in his stomach start to untangle.

"So tonight is...?" Ushijima shuffles closer and _oh_ , he looks as hopeful as Kuroo feels. 

"A date," answers Kuroo, his pulse pounding beneath his tongue when Ushijima rests a hand on his waist. "If you want it to be?"

"I want it to be," Ushijima murmurs as he strokes a callused thumb along the line of Kuroo's jaw. His eyes dart from Kuroo's eyes to his mouth in question and suddenly they're exactly where they were before - only inches apart, each waiting with bated breath for the other to make the first move.

Kuroo closes his eyes and leans into Ushijima's touch, goosebumps prickling his skin where he feels the ghost of Ushijima's lips against his neck. "You're not gonna run out on me again, are you?"

"No." He presses a kiss to Kuroo's jaw in apology. "I thought you had a boyfriend. I didn't want to get between you."

"Very noble of you," teases Kuroo. He chuckles as he hooks his fingers in the loops of Ushijima's jeans. "You don't have a boyfriend of your own I should know about, do you?" he asks, peering up through his lashes. "Tendou..."

Ushijima wrinkles his nose. "...is a close friend who vowed to intervene himself if I didn't stop 'brooding,'" he finishes.

"A good man—"

Ushijima cuts Kuroo off with a kiss as he twists his hand in the hair along Kuroo's nape. It's soft at first, just the barest brush of lips as his roommate pulls him into his lap. Kuroo curses under his breath as he fans his fingers against Ushijima's chest, his hand exploring firm planes of muscle as Ushijima nips at his mouth.

" _God_ ," he grunts, his hips bucking up against Kuroo's when Kuroo draws Ushijima's lower lip between his teeth and sucks.

Kuroo hisses in agreement as he feels Ushijima's fingers tighten in his hair. " _Nhg_ , we shouldn't..." he pants. _How's it possible that I'm already this breathless?_ "The movie, remember?"

Ushijima's lips come to rest at the crook of Kuroo's shoulder - a moment ago he'd been trailing hungry kisses from the slope of Kuroo's neck to the junction of his collar. "Is there a later showing?"

Kuroo nods wildly. "At midnight."

He feels it when Ushijima exhales in relief. Ushijima crooks his finger at Kuroo in a 'c'mere' gesture."

"Leaves us with _plenty_ of time until then," Kuroo says as he waggles his brows.

Pleased, Ushijima pulls Kuroo in for another kiss. Kuroo means to meet him halfway, but instead Kuroo accidentally shoves Ushijima down onto the bed. Ushijima drags Kuroo down with him, both of them laughing as Ushijima peppers Kuroo's face in kisses.

"Mm, it's showing for the whole week actually, we could--"

" _Kuroo._ "

Kuroo hides his grin against the crown of Ushijima's hair. "Just a suggestion."

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](http://tobioslilgiant.tumblr.com/) l [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ambyguity_)


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